Still from British Intelligence video
British automaker Jaguar is building on the popularity of its “British Villains” campaign with a sequel titled “British Intelligence.”
The latest global campaign is led by another British actor, Nicholas Hoult, and features various components that carry on the conspiratorial feel of its predecessor. Jaguar is deploying content on numerous platforms, including Google Glass, to ensure that as many consumers as possible see the message.
“Jaguar generated a lot of awareness and interest with the British Villains campaign, that debuted during the Super Bowl last year, and engaged with millions of consumers and enthusiasts,” said Joe Torpey, communications manager at Jaguar North America, Mahwah, NJ. “We wanted to build on that excitement and momentum that British Villains created, but in a new and fresh way that allows us to tell a deeper story.
“With British Intelligence, we’re introducing a new character, actor Nicholas Hoult, as the technical mastermind behind British Villains,” he said.
“This campaign allows us to showcase the thinking and innovation behind our products in a way that is engaging and cinematic.”
All in
Jaguar debuted its British Villains campaign to a global audience during the Super Bowl in January. The commercial and accompanying campaign featured famous Hollywood actors, including Tom Hiddleston, giving dramatic monologues on the art of villainy while speeding away in Jaguar F-Types (see story).
British Villains campaign
The campaign then fanned out in multiple directions, leading to digital content, in-person events and branded partnerships.
Evidently, the brand deemed the campaign a success and wanted to keep the energy going. Effective campaigns can reframe how consumers view a brand, and the British Villains campaign may have initiated that effect.
In that case, a few more months of related content may enable an updated brand image, and the British Intelligence campaign is equipped with enough content to make an impact. Jaguar once again enlisted Tom Hooper to direct the commercials to achieve continuity with the first series.
The television spot and Web films at the heart of the campaign feature Mr. Hoult in a top-secret, highly technological lair as he expounds upon the ideas rolled out in the original campaign.
Unlike the British Villains spots, however, Mr. Hoult explores the schematics of villainy that allow the dramatic car-chases rather than the dramatic car-chases themselves.
In the central ad, Mr. Hoult arrives at a mansion via a helicopter and descends through multiple floors, including a Jaguar-rimmed garage, in a fingerprint-activated tube.
Video still
The rest of the ad shows Mr. Hoult surrounded by hovering car pieces as he discusses the importance of technology to a villain’s craft.
British Intelligence
The computer-generated imagery seen in this and other spots was produced by The Mill, a visual effects production house.
The Cave
While the British Villains spots showcased the performance of Jaguar vehicles in action, the British Intelligence spots investigate what makes that performance possible.
The videos also show the “the rigorous quality testing that Jaguar models undergo.” The “Climatic Testing Zone” video shows the extreme temperatures that vehicles are subjected in the testing phase.
Climatic Testing Zone
The villainy conceit gives what would otherwise be educational videos a narrative pull. Viewers can plausibly see why a villain obsessed with technology would conduct these steps.
Consumers interested in exploring the campaign and brand vehicles further are invited to visit a dedicated Web page called “The Innovation Lab.”
The Innovation Lab
Jaguar also set up a Web page called “Why Jaguar” that collects user reviews, news coverage, owner stories and immersive content to give consumers a place to validate their potential purchases.
Vehicles will even be assessed on a five-star scale, a feature that many consumers have come to expect for any purchase they make.
Lead by example
Rather than leave all the technological flair to Mr. Hoult, Jaguar also added some innovative elements to its campaign.
Most interestingly, Google Glass owners will be able to unlock digital content from Condé Nast print advertisements and from mobile devices thanks to the augmented reality application Blippar.
The brand also became the auto-exclusive launch partner for Soundcloud.
Other components of the campaign include print ads, television show appearances, mobile app placements, digital ads and a pop-up shop created by Wired magazine.
“Tech partners like Google Glass and Soundcloud push the boundaries of storytelling and user engagement,” Mr. Torpey said.
“These platforms allow us to reach early adopters of these technologies, but with our Web site’s responsive design, we also allow consumers to dive into the brand story no matter what platform or device they prefer to use,” he said.
Final Take
Joe McCarthy, staff writer on Luxury Daily, New York